Device for pulling arrowheads from implantation in solid objects

ABSTRACT

A tool for removing arrows from locations of impaction such as trees, tree stumps and so forth. The subject tool includes a lever member and a retainer member pivoted together, with both of the same including uniquely constructed forward portions that effect, through mutual intercooperation, the retentive gripping of an arrowhead at its fin as well as a progressive tightening action, through use of a cam principal, in increasing such grip as pressure is applied the lever member. Protuberance means preferably in the form of a sharpened point are provided to penetrate or make a detent with respect to the generally soft metal of an arrowhead point. Spring pressure provides initial implacement of the protuberance whereas commencement of hand pressure upon the lever produces an increased retentive engagement of the tool with the arrowhead fin through a camming action of the forward jaw of the lever member and the pivoted retainer member provided with a cooperative cam follower surface. Progressive pressure on the rear of the tool effects a withdrawal of an arrowhead from its impacted position. Additionally, rear edge chisel means may be incorporated for stripping away bark as needed to gain access to an impacted arrowhead.

United States Patent Orton et al.

[ll] 3,826,471 July 30, 1974 DEVICE FOR PULLING ARROWHEADS FROMIMPLANTATION IN SOLID OBJECTS Jan. 15, 1973 [22] Filed:

21 Appl. No: 323,533

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No,190,755, Oct. 20,

I971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 254/131, 29/267 [5i lnt. Cl.... 866i 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch 254/22, 27, 131, 132; 29/267 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence SmithAssistant Examiner-Robert C. Watson 571 ABSTRACT I A tool for removingarrows from locations of impaction such as trees, tree stumps and soforth. The subject tool includes a lever member and a retainer memberpivoted together, with both of the same including uniquely constructedforward portions that effect, through mutual intercooperation, theretentive gripping of an arrowhead at its fin as well as a progressivetightening action, through use of a cam principal, in increasing suchgrip as pressure is applied the lever member. Protuberance meanspreferably in the form of a sharpened point are provided to penetrate ormake a detent with respect to the generally soft metal of an arrowheadpoint. Spring pressure provides initial implacement of the protuberancewhereas commencement of hand pressure upon the lever produces anincreased retentive engagement of the tool with the arrowhead finthrough a camming action of the forward jaw of the lever member and thepivoted retainer member provided with a cooperative cam followersurface. Progressive pressure on the rear of the tool effects awithdrawal of an arrowhead from its impacted position. Additionally,rear edge chisel means may be incorporated for stripping away bark asneeded to gain access to an impacted arrowhead.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR PULLING ARROWI-IEADS FROMIMPLANTATION IN SOLID OBJECTS v incorporating a lever and a retainerpivoted thereto,

the two being mutually constructed such that a camming action willincrease the retentive engagement of an arrowhead by the tool as theformer is first gripped and then retrieved from its impacted position.

Archers and bow hunters are well acquainted with the problem which thepresent invention has solved. The problem is one of retrieving arrowsthat have been shot and have found their way into hardened objects suchas trees, tree stumps and the like. It is very easy to break an arrow orto remove the arrow shaft inadvertently from its tip if one simply triesmanually to pull an arrow out of its impacted position.

The present invention comprises a device or tool wherein the forward jawdesign is configured to engage the arrowhead proper at a fin thereof andin such a manner that the arrowhead need not be circumscribed in orderto effect a withdrawal thereof from its impacted position. Mostimportant, protuberance means, preferably in the form of a sharpened,hardened point, is provided such that the same can come in contact withone surface of an arrowhead fin whereas the remaining surface will abuta reaction portion of the forward end of the lever member provided.

Most importantly, cooperable camming surfaces are provided both theforward jaw of the lever member and also of the retainer member pivotedto the former such that the initial resistance of the arrowhead towithdrawal will'in fact aid a further gripping of the arrowhead fin bythe subject point. This is facilitated through a camming or wedgingeffect as between a bifurcated jaw portion surface of the lever memberand the retainer member pivoted thereto. Thus, the increased gripping ordetent engagement of the protuberance or point with the arrowhead finfurther assures a gripping action so that as manual pressure isincreased against the handle of the lever member the arrowhead ispositively withdrawn from its impacted condition. Accordingly, the toolnot only provides for an initial gripping of the arrowhead by the toolbut also an increased gripping effect as manual pressure is initiallyapplied, and finally, a firm withdrawal of the arrowhead as the lever isactuated through downward hand pressure.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved device for withdrawing arrows from hard objects such astrees, tree stumps and the like.

A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive tool that can beoperated with one hand, to engage various types of arrowheads embeddedin trees, posts or stumps, and quickly and easily remove such arrowheadsand arrows from their impacted positions without causing significantdamage either to the arrowhead or arrow.

A further object is to provide a tool incorporating means for strippingaway portions of bark or wood so that the device can easily engage anembedded arrowhead.

An additional object is to provide a simple tool which is curved in sucha manner as to provide a sliding fulcrum, this so as to give a maximummechanical advantage at the beginning of the removal operation whenresistance is greatest while at the same time giving the largest pulldistance near the end of the removal operation when resistance is leastand the greatest withdrawal effect is required.

An additional object is to provide a tool which can be used even thoughthe hunter may be in an awkward position, and with the tool beingconstructed so that the greatest holding force in the arrowhead isapplied ini tially while the arrowhead is gradually being removed.

The features of the present invention may best be understood byreference to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the subject tool with the jaw structurebeing completely opened.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation wherein the upper retainer member has beenreleased slightly so as to advance downwardly, such that the sharpenedpoint thereof begins to engage an arrowhead fin.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the tool wherein the same is in lockedposition, that is where thereis a maximum penetration of the sharpenedpoint relative to the arrowhead fin as pressure is initially applied thelever member of the tool.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the structure shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an isometricview illustrating use of the tool with an arrow that is embedded in atree.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail of the return spring construction of thetool and its mounting.

FIG. 9 is an isometric detail of the cam follower, forward, dependingend of the retainer member of the tool.

In the drawings lever member 10 is an elongate member including aforward bifurcated jaw portion 12 and a rearward cutting portion 13taking the form of a chisel-shaped edge. Disposed proximate thebifurcated jaw portion 12 and positioned rearwardly thereof is a fulcrumportion 14, the same preferably including an arcuate, sliding fulcrumsurface 15. Of course, various types of fulcrum surfaces can be usedhere. It is important, and believed very advantageous, for the fulcrumsurface to be arcuately formed as indicated so that the point of contactof the fulcrum surface with an external object, such as a tree trunk,will advance rearwardly along the undersurface U, of lever member 10, ashandle portion 15 of the lever member is advanced downwardly in thedirection of the arrow 16, see FIG. 7.

The design of the bifurcated jaw portion at 12 is most important.Upstanding portions 17 and 18 respectively have an interior, slopingcamming surface 19 and also a generally vertical reaction surface 20.Retainer member 21 includes an integral depending arm portion 22 havingenlarged aperture 23. The same receives pin 24 as the latter proceedstransversely through lever member 10 and across the slot 25 providedmedially in lever member 10. The thickness of the material of retainermember 21 is chosen to be less than the horizontal width of slot 25.Correspondingly, aperture 23 is designed to be oversized relative to pin24. In this way the retainer member 21 operates not only up and downpivoting about pin 24, but also displaces slightly laterally as forwardportion 27 comes down with to and within the spacing or access opening28 between portions 17 and 18 of the bifurcated jaw portion 12.

Retainer member 21,-see FIG. 9, includes at the forward portion 27 a camfollower surface 32 which is slanted or inclines in essentiallycongruent manner with camming'surface 19. Additionally, a protuberancein the shape of a hardened point at 33 is supplied the forward portionof the retainer member. This point is brazed or soldered to the retainermember 21, where the latter is made of metal, and is configured so as toengage the fin 34 of a representative arrowhead 35. More will be saidabout this below. ln any event, a return spring 36 is supplied and isseated within hollow seat 37 and positioned over seat mount 38 of thelever member and retainer member 21, respectively.

It should be noted that surface 39 is preferably essentially verticaland parallel to the reaction surface of the jaw portion 12..

In operation the tool is placed in angulated position and the userpresses down on'the thumb rest 40 provided so as to raise the forwardportion of retainer member 21. At this position, andwith the tool.angulated as shown, a fin is positioned between the protuberance orpoint 33 and reaction surface 20 in a manner such that when the thumbrest is released, the forward portion of retainer member 21 graduallyproceeds downwardly so that there is engagement as between theprotuberance and the reaction surface. It should .be noted at this pointthat the tool is dimensioned such that there will be asufficient'spacing, of perhaps 0.050 inches, in order that the fin ofthe arrow may fit within such space between the reaction surface 20 ofthe lever member 10 and corresponding surface 39. of retainer member 21.As the thumb rest is further released, the cam follower surface 32proceeds downwardly over portion 28 of inclined camming surface 19 so asto urge forward engagement portion 27 toward reaction surface 20.Accordingly, the return spring 36 in effect forces forward portion 27downwardly, andlaterally, so as to further cause the protuberance orpoint 33 to bite into the material of the arrowhead fin 34.

The actual withdrawal of the arrowhead from its impaction within a treeis effected by the application of hand pressure downwardly in thedirection of arrow 16 so as to raise the bifurcated jaw portion 12 andhence the point of penetrative engagement of point 33 with the arrowheadfin. It is important to note that the greater the hand pressuredownwardly at 16, the greater will be the wedging effect at the cammingsurfaces since arrowhead impaction will tend to keep the penetratingpoint 33 downwardly wherein'as the bifurcated jaw portion will haveadvanced upwardly. Such produces a further wedging proximate slopingcamming surface 19 and cam follower surface 32 and hence a tightening ofthe gripping penetration at point 33 relative to the arrowhead fin.

Greatest leverage is applied at the time of initial pressureapplication, at 16 in FIG. 7, to effect arrowhead loosening. Theapplication of additional pressure of course advances the fulcrum orpoint of contact rearwardly, and increases the pull distance upon thearrow- 4 head so that the same is rpogressively withdrawn from itsimpacted position.

I It is noted that the several design features of the subject tool areself-aiding in effecting a gripping of the arrowhead fin, which grippingaction is initially increased through the camming surfaces and pointengagement as described above, this preparatory to ultimate withdrawalof the arrowhead from its impacted location.

What is provided therefore is a new and useful tool for withdrawingarrowheads and hence arrows from various objects such as trees, treestumps and the like.

While particularembodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be obvious. to those skilled in the art the variouschanges and modifications which may be made without departing from theessential feature of the present invention and, therefore, the

aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

-1. A device for pulling arrows at their arrowheads from externalobjects, said device including in combination: an elongate lever memberhaving a forward, upstanding, bifurcated jaw portion defining a medialopening, a rearward handle portion, and an intermediate fulcrum portionproviding a lower fulcrum surface; a retainer member aligned with saidmedial opening; transverse pivot means pivoting said retainer member tosaid lever member, said retainer member having a forward, depending,arrowhead engagement portion configured for operable positionment withinsaid bifurcated jaw portion, said engagement portion havingopposite'sides and including laterally facing pointed protuberance meansoperably positionable within said. bifurcated jaw portion on one of saidsides and a cam follower surface on the remaining one of said sides,said bifurcated portion including interior surfaces defining saidopening and comprising an upstanding inwardly facing reaction surfacefacing said one side and a camming surface facing said remaining one ofsaid sides of said reaction member engagement portion, said cammin'g'surface and said cam follower surface being coop- .eratively contouredsuch that descent of said retainer member engagement portion effects alateral camming of said cam follower surface by said camming surfacewhereby to advance said protuberancemeans laterally toward said reactionsurface of said bifurcated jaw portion so as to grip an externalarrowhead portion therebetween.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said elongate lever memberincludes an upstanding medial slot, said retainer member including adepending portion pivoted to said elongate lever member within said slotby said pivot means.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said slot is enlarged forpivoting of and relative to said depending portion in the longitudinaldirection of movement of said depending portion, said depending portionincluding a pivot aperture enlarged relative to said pivot means.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said elongate lever memberincludes a rearward, sharpened, rectilinear, transverse chisel edge.

5. Structure according to claim 1 wherein compression spring means isdisposed between and abuts said elongate lever member and also saidretainer member at respective points rearwardly of said pivot means.

6. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said protuberance meanscomprises a laterally extending sharp ened point.

7. A device for pulling arrows at their arrowheads from externalobjects, said device including in combination: an elongate lever memberhaving a forward, upstanding, bifurcated jaw portion defining a medialaccess opening, a rearward handle portion and an intermediate fulcrumportion providing a lower fulcrum surface; a retainer member alignedwith said opening; pivot means transversely pivoting said retainermember said elongate lever member and said retainer member.

1. A device for pulling arrows at their arrowheads from externalobjects, said device including in combination: an elongate lever memberhaving a forward, upstanding, bifurcated jaw portion defining a medialopening, a rearward handle portion, and an intermediate fulcrum portionproviding a lower fulcrum surface; a retainer member aligned with saidmedial opening; transverse pivot means pivoting said retainer member tosaid lever member, said retainer member having a forward, depending,arrowhead engagement portion configured for operable positionment withinsaid bifurcated jaw portion, said engagement portion having oppositesides and including laterally facing pointed protuberance means operablypositionable within said bifurcated jaw portion on one of said sides anda cam follower surface on the remaining one of said sides, saidbifurcated portion including interior surfaces defining said opening andcomprising an upstanding inwardly facing reaction surface facing saidone side and a camming surface facing said remaining one of said sidesof said reaction member engagement portion, said camming surface andsaid cam follower surface being cooperatively contoured such thatdescent of said retainer member engagement portion effects a lateralcamming of said cam follower surface by said camming surface whereby toadvance said protuberance means laterally toward said reaction surfaceof said bifurcated jaw portion so as to grip an external arrowheadportion therebetween.
 2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein saidelongate lever member includes an upstanding medial slot, said retainermember including a depending portion pivoted to said elongate levermember within said slot by said pivot means.
 3. Structure according toclaim 2 wherein said slot is enlarged for pivoting of and relative tosaid depending portion in the longitudinal direction of movement of saiddepending portion, said depending portion including a pivot apertureenlarged relative to said pivot means.
 4. Structure according to claim 1wherein said elongate lever member includes a rearward, sharpened,rectilinear, transverse chisel edge.
 5. Structure according to claim 1wherein compression spring means is disposed between and abuts saidelongate lever member and also said retainer member at respective pointsrearwardly of said pivot means.
 6. Structure according to claim 1wherein said protuberance means comprises a laterally extendingsharpened point.
 7. A device for pulling arrows at their arrowheads fromexternal objects, said device including in combination: an elongatelever member having a forward, upstanding, bifurcated jaw portiondefining a medial access opening, a rearward handle portion and anintermediate fulcrum portion providing a lower fulcrum surface; aretainer member aligned with said opening; pivot means transverselypivoting said retainer member to said lever member, said retainer memberhaving a forward, depending, arrowhead engagement portion; and pointedprotuberance means constructed for positionment within said bifurcatedjaw portion for engaging an external arrowhead fin, said lever memberand said retainer member being provided with mutually cooperable cammingmeans for advancing said pointed protuberance means in a lateraldirection whEreby the latter can protrude into an arrowhead fin, saidpointed protuberance means being operatively associated with saidelongate lever member and said retainer member.